Finka Pe - A Community Center inside the Ghetto

<p> <u><em><strong>A GROUP OF DREAMERS WITH FEET ON THE GROUND</strong></em></u> <em><strong>                  </strong></em></p> <p>  </p> <p> Finka Pe means "stamp your foot!" in Kriol, the language of Cabo Verde. It is a movement of spiritual independence and taking responsibility over your life. We are here to give hope to the next generation of our community, and here is our story &gt;&gt;&gt;</p> <p>  </p> <p> <em><strong>    OUR TEAM:</strong></em></p> <p> <img alt="Our_team-1454859587" src="https://d3v4jsc54141g1.cloudfront.net/uploads/project_image/image/275375/OUR_TEAM-1454859587.jpg"></p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p> <u><em><strong>BACKGROUND – THE HUGE SOCIAL CHALLENGE OF CABO VERDE</strong></em></u></p> <p>  </p> <p> Our story begins in Praia, the capital, and the most inhabited city of Cabo Verde.  Cabo Verde is an African country consisting of 10 islands, located 500km off the north part of the West African shore.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <img alt="Cabo_verde_map_and_route_pitufa_-_good_size-1454597176" src="https://d3v4jsc54141g1.cloudfront.net/uploads/project_image/image/274376/cabo_verde_map_and_route_pitufa_-_good_size-1454597176.jpg">   </p> <p>  </p> <p> The country's population is about 1 million inhabitants out of which <strong>more than half are living in diaspora!</strong> 60% of the population is below the age of 24, which makes it a very young nation. The unemployment rate is very high, especially among young people, and the country is highly dependent on foreign support. Extreme urban poverty has been quickly rising in the last decade while <strong>20% of the population has to survive on less than 1$ USD a day!</strong></p> <p>  </p> <p> <em><strong>   '</strong></em><em><strong>JAMAICA'</strong></em><em><strong> neighborhood</strong></em></p> <p> <img alt="Achada_-_problem_5-1454628576" src="https://d3v4jsc54141g1.cloudfront.net/uploads/project_image/image/274538/achada_-_problem_5-1454628576.jpg"></p> <p> <em><strong>  </strong></em></p> <p> <em><strong>    </strong></em><em><strong>AGUA DE GATO</strong></em><em><strong> neighborhood</strong></em></p> <p> <img alt="Achada_-_problem_4-1454630140" src="https://d3v4jsc54141g1.cloudfront.net/uploads/project_image/image/274542/achada_-_problem_4-1454630140.jpg"></p> <p>    </p> <p>   <strong><em>ACHADA GRANDE neighborhood</em></strong></p> <p> <img alt="Achada_-_problem_7-1454630210" src="https://d3v4jsc54141g1.cloudfront.net/uploads/project_image/image/274543/achada_-_problem_7-1454630210.jpg"></p> <p>  </p> <p> These statistics and a strong cultural influence of many deported former prisoners from the US have induced one of the world’s largest drug traffic (America&lt;&gt;Africa&lt;&gt;Europe) and the ongrowing phenomena of <em><strong>THUG LIFE.</strong></em></p> <p> <strong>More and more teenagers are turning to arms, crime, drug abuse and prostitution, in search of a solution to what seems like a hopeless future</strong>. </p> <p>  </p> <p>   "<strong><em>ACHADA GRANDE" neighborhood</em></strong></p> <p> <img alt="Achada_-_problem_8-1454635432" src="https://d3v4jsc54141g1.cloudfront.net/uploads/project_image/image/274544/achada_-_problem_8-1454635432.jpg"></p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p> <u><em><strong>WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO HIDE</strong></em></u></p> <p>  </p> <p> You know that saying: "The first step of solving a problem is admitting that you have one"? Well, the government of Cabo Verde doesn't. The politicians are focusing media attention on economic growth, democracy, technology, tourism, and the beautiful new uniform of the basketball team. When it comes to dealing with the urgent social and environmental problems of this country, they usually tend to look the other way. This tendency has been leading the Cabo Verdian society closer and closer to the huge socio-economical gaps that are experienced in Rio de Janeiro or Mexico city for example.</p> <p>  </p> <p>    <em><strong>RIO DE JANEIRO</strong></em> <img alt="Inequality_-_rio_de_jeneiro-1454639332" src="https://d3v4jsc54141g1.cloudfront.net/uploads/project_image/image/274550/inequality_-_rio_de_jeneiro-1454639332.jpg"></p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong> If the state will not use more resources for educating the youth for basic human values,  </strong><strong>and </strong><strong>creating a proper social system, </strong><strong>in ten years from now, Cabo Verde will find itself in the midst of a civil war.</strong></p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p> <em><u><strong>OUR GOAL - EMPOWER LOCAL YOUTH TO CREATE A BRIGHTER FUTURE</strong></u></em></p> <p>  </p> <p> We are a group of young activists and volunteers, local and foreign, that has been working since 2010 to create a solution for these problems, through personal field work. In 2013 we have established  an association named <strong>"Pilorinhu".</strong></p> <p>  </p> <p> <img alt="Main_goal_of_pilorinhu_-_small-1454637142" src="https://d3v4jsc54141g1.cloudfront.net/uploads/project_image/image/274549/MAIN_GOAL_OF_PILORINHU_-_small-1454637142.jpg"></p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p> As part of our activity, we have established a cultural community center, named <strong>Pilorinhu </strong>in Achada Grande (one of the roughest neighborhoods of Praia)<strong>.  </strong>Many volunteers worked on cleaning and renovating an abandoned space and transformed it into an active educational and recreational center for teenagers and children. The goal was to empower them and create a sense of dignity for the local youth and for the community.  </p> <p>  </p> <p> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Pilorinhu-187678591414944/?ref=ts&amp;fref=ts" target="_blank">PILORINHU ASSOCIATION FB PAGE (warning - it will make your heart beat faster!)</a></p> <p>  </p> <p> <a href="http://www.rtc.cv/tcv/index.php?paginas=13&amp;id_cod=41919" target="_blank">REHABILITATION OF OUR CENTERS</a></p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong><em>  CAPOEIRA CLASS IN OUR CENTER</em></strong></p> <p> <img alt="Kapuera-1454859196" src="https://d3v4jsc54141g1.cloudfront.net/uploads/project_image/image/275373/KAPUERA-1454859196.jpg"></p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong><em><u>FINKA PE - THE BIRTH OF ANOTHER DREAM </u></em></strong></p> <p>  </p> <p> Following the success of this project, in the beginning of 2015 we've located another abandoned space in Lem Ferreira, another neighborhood of Praia, with a population of approximately 2500 people, including many children and youth in risk. We quickly went into making this space alive! We named the center <strong>Finka Pe.</strong></p> <p> <a href="http://www.verspers.nl/artikel/join/9193/van-een-criminele-gang-naar-een-sociale-beweging/#.VrPsyrKrSM9" target="_blank">HERE IS AN ARTICLE ABOUT HOW WE STARTED FINKA PE IN "VERSPERS" (it's in dutch, but you can always google translate :)</a></p> <p>  </p> <p> <em><strong>  MAKING THE CHANGE IN FINKA PE</strong></em><img alt="Finak_pe_-_renovating-1454847028" src="https://d3v4jsc54141g1.cloudfront.net/uploads/project_image/image/275285/FINAK_PE_-_RENOVATING-1454847028.jpg"></p> <p>  </p> <p> <img alt="Finak_pe_-_renovating_2-1454847089" src="https://d3v4jsc54141g1.cloudfront.net/uploads/project_image/image/275286/FINAK_PE_-_RENOVATING_2-1454847089.jpg"></p> <p>  </p> <p> The center is open 7 days a week, morning to night and is already serving basic needs of the community. There is a team of local and foreign volunteers who operate and manage the place. They are always present, and give their time, abilities, and most important; their heart for this cause.</p> <p> <strong>In Finka pe, we have:</strong> 1. Library and studying room for children 2. Studio for artisanal and art work 3. Library for youth 4. Kitchen 5. Big open space for activities 6. Garden.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFQVRvAkvO0" target="_blank">ACTIVITIES AND VOLUNTEERS IN FINKA PE AND PILORINHU</a></p> <p>  </p> <p> <img alt="Kids_play-1454863087" src="https://d3v4jsc54141g1.cloudfront.net/uploads/project_image/image/275399/KIDS_PLAY-1454863087.jpg"></p> <p>  </p>